Apparatus for forming bearing retainers



ilited States ?atent [72] Inventor Sven R. Ahlman Litchfield, Connecticut [21] Appl. No. 717,313 [22] Filed March 29, 1968 [45] Patented Oct. 27, 1970 [73] Assignee The Torrington Company Torrington, Connecticut a corporation of Maine Division of Ser. No. 607,353, J an. 6, 1967, now Patent No. 3,416,211, which is a division of Ser. No. 247,736, Dec. 19, 1962, 99W ten 4,237.:

[54] APPARATUS FOR FORMING BEARING RETAINERS 6 Claims, 12 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. C1 83/697, 83/49, 83/52, 83/54, 29/1484 [51] 1nt.Cl .B21d53/12. 53/12, 826d 1/06 [50] Field ofSeai-ch 83/36,39, 49, 52, 54. 192, 687, 697; 29/l48.4c

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,080,639 3/1963 Maurizietal 29/1484 Primary ExaminerWilliam S. Lawson Attorney-Diner, Brown, Ramik & Holt ABSTRACT: This disclosure is directed to providing a punch and die means for making bearing retainers having windows punch formed therein, the windows having wall portions at different angular relationships with each other for retaining rollers therein. The punch and die means employed in the formation of the retainer windows are especially configured to have two die elements which are movable simultaneously into shearing contact with a retainer, and whereby upon one punching operation portions ofa first window are sheared by a first punching element, and portions of a second window are sheared by a second punching element. ln this use of the novel punch and die means the retainer is then pivoted or indexed such that the second window is positioned beneath the first punching element, and whereby, during another punching operation portions of the second window are punched by the first punching element, which completes the window. simultaneously with the punching of portions of a third window by the second punching element. This employment of the punch and die means is continued until all windows have been punched and both die elements and the retainer is completed Patented Oct. 27, 1970 3,535,964

. P163 gg 154- INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Sven RoaEz-r Amman Patented Oct. 27, 1970 3,535,964

Sheet 3 012 INVENTOR t9 veu ROBERT QHLMAu ORNEYS APPARATUS FOR FORMING BEARING RETAINEIRS This application is a division of Application Ser. No. 607,753, filed Jan. 6, 1967, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,416,211, issued Dec. 17, 1968, which in turn comprised a division of Ser. No. 247,736, filed Dec. 19, 1962, and now US. Pat. No. 3,314,737,issued Apr. l8, 1967.

This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in the art of making bearings, and more particularly to novel punch and die means for making a novel bearing retainer.

One object of this invention is to provide a novel punch for forming windows in a retainer for rollers, the punch being formed of two punch elements which are interconnected for moving in unison and which punch elements are particularly configurated so as to each perform a window shaping operation on a retainer with each of the punch elements imparting a final shape to a portion only of each window and the combined operations of the punch elements serving to completely shape and define a window in a retainer.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel punch for forming windows in a retainer for rollers, the punch including two similar punch elements which are interconnected for simultaneous operation, the punch elements being intended to shape portions only of windows and the combined functions of the two punch elements completely shaping windows. the punch elements being symmetrical about a center line extending therebetween.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claims and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the relationship of a punch and retainer prior to the initial operation of the punch to form windows in the retainer.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIGv 1, and shows the specific relationship of the punch with respect to an associated portion of the retainer, the punch being moved from its position of FIG. 1 to pass partially through the retainer.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2 and shows the cross section ofthe punch adjacent an end of the retainer.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 3 and taken along the line 6-4 of FIG. 2, and shows the specific cross section of the punch in a central portion of the retainer.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the upper part of the retainer after the first punching operation.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 3, and shows the retainer in a rotated position and the punch engaged with the retainer in a second punching operation.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view similar to FIG. 6, but taken through the central portion of the retainer.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view similar to FIGS. 3 and 6, and shows the details of the retainer with the punch in position during a third punching operation and one of the windows of the retainer being separate from the punch and completely formed.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the retainer of FIGS. 6 and 7, and shows the general details of the formation of the roller receiving windows formed therein.

FIG. 10 is a horizontal sectional view taken through a completely formed bearing assembly including the retainer with rollers disposed therein, the rollers being broken away and omitted from one longitudinal half of the retainer in order to clearly illustrate the details of the windows formed within the retainer.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view taken through an upper portion of abearing assembly and through one end of the retainer, and shows the specific manner in which rollers are retained within the retainer.

FIG. 12 is a transverse vertical sectional view on a large scale similar to FIG. 11, with the view being taken through the central portion of the retainer and shows the cross section of the central portions of the retainer windows.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, reference is first made to FIGS. 10. 11 and 12 wherein there is illustrated a bearing assembly formed in accordance with this invention. the bearing assembly being generally referred to by the numetal 15. The bearing assembly 15 is formed of a retainer, generally referred to by the numeral 16, and a plurality of rollers 17 carried by the retainer 16. The rollers 17 are conventional and need not be described in more detail hereinafter.

The retainer 16 is of a one-piece cylindrical construction and includes a cylindrical body 18 and flanged ends 19. The retainer 16 is intended to be mounted within a bore of an outer race (not shown). Although flanged ends 19 of the retainer 16 are shown, it is to be understood that the cylindrical body 18 may have thickened portions and that the thickness of the thickened portions of the body 18 may be up to the thickness of the flanged ends 19. By thickening the portions of the body 18, additional wearing surfaces may be obtained for the retainer 16.

The body 18 of the retainer 16 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced windows which are each generally identified by the numeral 20. Each window 20 includes a central portion 21 and a pair of end portions 22.

Referring now' to the central part of the bearing retainer 16, as is shown in its partially formed condition of FIG. 9, it will be seen that a fully formed window 20 has opposite ends 23 which are disposed along the inner faces of the flanged ends 19. It will also be seen that each window 20 includes a pair of sides 24 and 25 which are in opposed relation. The sides 24 are formed of three or more walls which include central walls 26 and walls 27. The walls 27 lie in a common plane while walls 26 lie in a plane disposed in angular relation to the plane of the walls 27. The planes of the walls 26 and the walls 27 are disposed at equal angles to a radial plane extending generally through the side 24 and the two planes of the walls 26 and the walls 27 intersect within the thickness of the body 18, as IS clearly shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. Due to the specific relationship of the walls 26 and the walls 27, the side 24 has a combined generally V-shaped bearing retaining surface arrangement which opposes the side 25.

The side 25 of each window 20 includes walls 28 and walls 29, the walls 29 lying in a common plane. The plane of the walls 29 is disposed in angular relation to the plane of the walls 28 with the two planes being disposed in opposite equal angular relationship to a radial plane extending generally through the side 25. The two planes of the walls 28 and the walls 29 in tersect within the thickness of the retainer body 18, as is clearly shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. Thus, the combined roller engaging surfaces of the walls 28 and 29 provide a generally V-shaped roller engaging surface for the side 25 which opens toward the side 24.

At this time, it is pointed out that the walls 27 are disposed parallel to the walls 28 and the walls 29 are disposed parallel to the walls 26. Thus, the walls 26 and 29 can be formed in one punching operation, and the walls 27 and 29 formed in another punching operation. It is also pointed out that in the illustrated retainer construction, the cross section of each window 20 is trapezoidal. However, the cross section is not constant throughout the length of the window 20. As is clearly shown in FIG. 11, the end portions 22 of a window 20 flare inwardly whereas the central portion 21 of the same window flares outwardly. It is, of course, possible and may be desirable for the central portion of a window to flare inwardly and the outer portions of the same window to flare outwardly under some conditions.

From the foregoing description of a window of the retainer 16, it will be readily apparent that a roller 17 may be readily snapped into a window 20 and be retained therein by the cooperating walls 26, 27, 28 and 29. Although the walls 26 and 28 are of much greater linear extent than the combined extent of the walls 27 and the walls 29, as has been stated above, if it is desired to thicken the retainer body 18 at the ends thereof, this may be done to provide additional wearing surfaces. A thickening of the ends of the retainer body 18 will result in an increase of the width of the walls 27 and 29.

Referring now to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, it will be seen that the retainer body 18 is initially imperforate. In the first step of forming the windows 20 in the retainer body 18, two partially formed windows 30 and 31 are formed in the retainer body 18 by means of a punch, generally referred to by the numeral 32. The structure of the punch 32 will not be described now. However, it is pointed out that the punch 32 is moved along a radial plane passing intermediate the partially formed windows 30 and 31. In the initial punching operation, a partially formed window 30 is provided with walls 27 and 28 of the intended finished window 20. In addition, the window 30 18 provided with a temporary wall 33 extending between the walls 27 and temporary walls 34 at opposite ends of the wall 28.

The partially formed windows 30 and 31, being symmetrical about the plane of movement of the punch 32, have like configurations and as a result, the finished walls of the partially formed window 31 are not the walls 27 and 23, as in the case of the partially formed window 30, but are the walls 26 and 29 which are symmetrically arranged with respect to the walls 28 and 27, respectively. The partially formed window 31 includes a pair of walls 35 which are disposed at opposite ends of the wall 26 and a wall 36 which extends between the walls 29.

The punch 32 includes a pair of punch or die elements 37 and 38 which are integrally connected by an upper cross bar portion 39. A shank 40 is connected to the upper cross bar portion 39 to effect the vertical reciprocation of the punch 32. The punch elements 37 and 38 have cross sections corresponding to the outlines of the partially formed windows 30 and 31, respectively.

lt is to be understood that the retainer 16 is supported by a suitable mandrel (not shown) during the operation of the punch 32. After the initial punching operation, the retainer 16 is rotated about the mandrel, that is about the center of the retainer 16 a distance corresponding to the desired spacing of the windows 20. With the retainer 16 so indexed, the punch 32 is again operated to effect a second punching operation on the retainer body 18. During this second punching operation, the partially formed window 30, which was formed by the punch element 37, is shifted into alignment with the punch element 38, and an imperforate portion of the retainer body 18 is moved beneath the punch element 37. When the punch 32 is moved downwardly with the retainer body 18 so positioned, the punch element 37 forms a new partially formed window 30 in the retainer body 18 and the punch element 38 reshapes the previously formed window 30 so that it assumes the shape of the desired window 20, as is clearly shown in FIG. 7. [n the reshaping of the partially formed window 30, the walls 33 and 34 are removed and new walls 26 and 29 are formed.

It is to be understood that after the second punching operation, the retainer 16 is repeatedly rotated and indexed and the second punching operation is continuously repeated until such time as the partially formed window 31 is aligned with the punch element 37. During this final punching operation, while the punch element 38 is reshaping a last formed window 30.

the punch element 37 reshapes the partially formed window 31 by removing the material defining the walls 33 and 36 and forming walls 27 and 28. The window forming operation is now complete, and the retainer 16 is ready to have the rollers 17 snapped therein.

It will be readily apparent from the foregoing that the walls 26 and 28 of a window 20 are parallel to the walls 27 and 29 of the next adjacent window to one side thereof, and the walls 27 and 29 of the same window are parallel to the walls 26 and 28 of the next adjacent window to the opposite side thereof due to the fact that the walls of each of these two groups are simultaneously formed in a single punching operation.

From the foregoing, it will be readily apparent that the retainer 16 is of a highly desirable construction in that the windows 20 thereof are so formed wherein the rollers 17 may be readily snapped into place within the windows 20 and retained therein. In addition to the advantageous structure of the retainer 16, it will be readily apparent that the retainer may be quickly and accurately formed by automatic punching mechanism having indexing means, and that a very simple punch structure is required to produce the complex wall arrangement of the indivual windows of the retainer Although a specific preferred form of punch and die means has been disclosed herein as exemplifying the invention. it IS to be understood that minor modifications may be made in the punch and die structure in accordance with the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A punch for forming roller receiving windows in a bear ing retainer for needle and roller type bearings, said punch comprising a pair of similar punch elements mounted for movement in unison. said punch elements having shear edges disposed symmetrical about a center line disposed between said punch elements. each punch element having an inter mediate and opposite end portion, and corresponding shearing edges of the two elements intermediate portions being more closely spaced than the corresponding edges of cor responding end portions of the two elements.

2 The punch of claim 1 wherein the shear edges comprise terminations of parallel shear surfaces.

3. The punch of claim 2 wherein each punch element in cludes six parallel shear surfaces.

4. A punch for forming roller receiving windows in a bearing retainer for needle and roller type bearings, said punch comprising a pair of similar punch elements mounted for movement in unison. said punch elements having shear edges disposed symmetrical about a center line disposed between said punch elements, said shear edges comprising terminations of parallel shear surfaces. and each punch element including six parallel shear surfaces.

5. A single punch for use in repeated operations for forming circumferentially adjacent roller receiving windows in a hear ing retainer, said punch comprising a pair of punch elements mounted for movement in unison to simultaneously form portions of two circumferentially adjacent windows. one of said punch elements having shear edge means for partially defining a window and the other of said punch elements having shear edge means for completing a window partially defined by said one punch element.

6. The punch of claim 5 wherein said shear edge means are portions of shear edges of said punch elements, and said shear edges of the two punch elements are disposed symmetrical about a center line extending between said punch elements. 

